Vending machine



, Dec. 17, 1929. l.. H. MORIN VENDING MACHINE Filed March 3. 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 7 l I f 7 w W f M :L -6 a, W a L W a a 7////// /W /laIll W /v//v//f/f W. 7 /V Fatented Bec. l?, 1929 y l .y '5J E er' n T i'.

Louis n. MORIN, or NEW YORK, N.k Y.,v VAssreNoie,:Bv MiisNE assIeNMNNTsjro DOEHLEB. vENDING MACHINES, INC., aconroaa'rion or NNWv Yoan .n

VENDING MACHINE ppl'icatonjled March 3,

5 and which because of this and their shape require a special construction of the vendingY or delivery mechanism. However, while the machine of the present invention is particuf larly useful in the vending or pencil leads,

0 it is to be understood that a vendingmachine vembodying the present invention could be employed for vending other articles, particularly articles' which their shapev and dimensions more or less resemble pencil leads. This invention relates more particularly to the vending or purchase-delivering mechas nism,which in the embodiment of the invention shown in the drawings is so constructed as to be operated and controlled by a moving coin. ln carrying out the invention, the mechanism employed for moving the coin. to cause the latter to operate the'purchase-'delivering mechanism is substantially the same as that disclosed and claimed ,in my copend-v ing application Ser. No.-39,442, ledJ une 25,. 1925, which becameY Patent `No.f;'1,723,948, dated August6,1929. 'f

i lt may be urthernoted that while'this invention hasbeen commercially embodied in a coin controlled vendingV machine it may as well be embodied in a urel dis ensinfr de- Vvicefor machine without coin control should occasion arise and without departure'from -heclaimed.invention.l v K.

The particular enclosing casing, per se, shown in the drawings as embodied in the machine of thepresent invention and hereinafter described forms the subjectoi my copen'ding j divisional application l Ser. No.l 127,831, tiled August 7, v1926, which became PatentNo. 1,716,457, datedv June 11, 1929.

An object ot theinvention is to,l provide a vvending machine'which is particularly useful for.` vending vpencil leads. Another, obj ect is to provide a 'vending' machine in vwhich the purchase-delivering mechanism" will ycooperate with the coin controlled mechanism f disclosed in 'my said Patent No. 1,723,948,V

j @ther objects are to `produce a vending `machine wlnchis ineapensnf'eV to manutacture,

132e. serial N0.`91,92o. 4'

vsimple in construction, elective inoperation,

strong, durable and dependable. 5 Other obg; jects and advantages will hereinafter! appear. The inventionrincludes ,various features of 'construction andV combinations of parts aspointed out' in .the appended claimsfand as will appear from the ollowing'description Smm of the embodiment of the'invention illus-y trated in the accompanying drawings ,in vvhichy' Y' Fig. 1.7is a vertical -section on-thefZig-Zag line'l-l of FigQQand shows Vsome parts of the operating mechanismin front'elevation;

Fig. V2 is avertical section onthe zig-zag' d line 2-2-04 Fig. 1,

Fig. V is an enlarged partial vertical sec-1 tion on the Zig-zag line 3-3 of Fig. 2;.V

Fig. 4 is a similarly enlarged lhorizontal section taken on the line 4-4of 2`a-nd also substantially as viewed romfabove inv Fig. 3;k Y-

Fig'. 5 is partial'substantially vertical.,

section takenl on the 3; and

irregular line 5-'45 of Fig.v l6 is a. detached vievvf in elevation, 'as

viewed from the leftinFig. 3,-0 thestripping y device.

In orderv tofacilitate the description of chine shownin vthe vdrawingsas van embodif theoperating mechanism ofjthe vendingfmafjfingwhich forms the subject matter-ofmy hereinbe'forementioned Patent No.,1,716,457,`

will be Afirst described;v The enclosing'cas-L ing is 'of elongated rectangular sjhape,r i's disposed 'in lupright orA vertical position',l in'its upper portion Aenclosesa magazine, in its middle portion encloses the r purchase#delivering mechanism and thevcoin-controlled operating mechanism, and in its'lowjer portio-n'forms a coin receptacle. Y '1 A casing box ris shown'as Jformed' in one piece to-include a back kwallf1,.side walls 2 and 3,'fa vtop/wall 4 and a bottom vvall15,'and

also' to finclude other parts 'hereinafter 'described-which are formed in one vpiece. theref with. 4'lhis casing box, together with the parts which are tobeiormed-in the same piece"Y "l therewith; 'may 'be a, Casina auch e dies-i;

4 casing boX somewhat below the middle therey casting, of suitable metal such as aluminum.

The entire front otthis casing box is originally open. A. portion of the front of the of is closed by a transverse wall portion 6 which is supported, for example, by means of `screws 6a freni the inside as indicated in Fig.

3, upon the front and to form a partot a meclianisni-supporting traine which includes a rear vertical wall 7 andV a lower horizontal wall 8 both of which extend Yfrom side to side of the casing box, and this frame may be secured in place by means of screws at the inside of the casing boX entering'the side walls 2 and 3 thereof asis shown in Figs. 1 and 2.l ot the drawings. This entire frame may be a die-casting of suitable metal such as zine, Whilethe rontwall part 6 may be an aluminum die-casting. l

A lowerdoor 9 is providedbelow the transverse wall 6 and at its lower edge is hinged at 10 to the front edgeof the bottom lation with the transverse wall 6 so thatby swinging the upper end ot this door, outward as indicated' in dash lines in Fig. 2 this upper ldoor may be openedand removed." These vtwo front doors 9 and 11may be aluminum die-casting y Uponthe inner side or" the upper door 11 somewhat below the upper end thereof, there iscast a horizontal shelf 12 which extends Vtiansvr-zrscly across the ca-sing'box and across the Vupper end of the mechanism-supporting rainefrom thelet'tside wall 2 of the casing. box'` almost to the right sidewall 3 where an j interveningspace is shown as filled in by a f shelf port-ion 12a' oi' the mechanism-supporting frame` as appears inFigs. 1 andl. This Yshalt 12 'is provided on its upper side with af Ypair ot ridges 13y and above these ridges Jtowards thetop of the door the door 11 kis-pro- .videdwith a pair of inwardlyv projecting bosses 1li-shown :as castin the saine piece therewith.l For a portion of its-width the',v

upper door llcarries an innerwalljlwhich may be secured to the inner ends ot theridges 13 vand `bosses, 11i by means ot screws as shown in Figs. l and l, This inner wall 15 of the door 11 forms an upward 'continuation of the frame wall 7 and extends up to the top walll ofthe casing box where it isnotched around a rib 16 shown as tormed on and extending from the, front'tothe back of the top casing wall 4. This innerl wall 15 forms va front wall and door torthe magazine, as will pres-v ently more clearly appear, and opens out-VV wai'dly and is removable-with the door 1l.

Interlocking means are provided between the upper door 11 and the lower door 9 so that one ot' these doors cannot be opened uiitil the other door has been opened, andy such interlocking means is shown as a manually operable locking device which is accessible to be operated only when 4the upperv door 11 is open andvwhich` prevents the upper door from being loscoY unles'sthis device'has been operated to lock the lower door. A vertically slidable bar 17,' forming a bolt, is guided between the mechaiiism-supporting frame yand the right side wall?) of the casing boX by being notchedfinto this frame, as clearly the bolt 17.is engageable ina notch in a keeper or catch 18 provided on and projecting inwardly trom the upper portion of the lower doorV 9 adjacentthe casing side wall 3. They upper end portion of :the bar 17 forming the bolt is' turned over at right an-y gles away romthe casing wall 3 to form a stop 19 to engage theshelt portion'12a for limiting the downward movement ofthe bolt 17 and is thence turned upwardly and then` towards the lett andv slightlyA inwardly Vor rearwardly to `form a handle portion 2O by appears in Figs. 1v and 2. The 'lower end of soA which the bolt 17 may belilitedto disengage its lower end lronithe keeper 18 and byy .which it may be restored .to its engaging position with tiiis keeper.

VlfViien the lower end-oit'V the bolt 17 isv in engagement with the keeper'18, as shown in lull lines in Figs. 1 andv 2, andbwith the upper Vdoor 11 closed, the handle portion 20 oit the bolt y17s received in a notch 21 provided in the adjacent edge or" the inner door wall 15 so that the bolt 17' isV then securely locked against disengagement, as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and e. When the bolt 17 has been lifted to itsydisengaging position, as inclicated in broken'lines in Figs.f 1 and 2, its

handle 2() will notthen be in position to be ioo received linto the notchf21, withvthe'result that the adjacent edheportion of the. door walll will strike this handle 20 and prevent the upper door 11 from being closed, thereby "compellingthe bolt 17 `first to be slid down'- ward to lock the lower door 9, as ywill be clear from an Ainspection of Figs. 1, 2 and l of the drawings. The' upper door 11fis1 provided on its innerside Vadjacent toY its upper edge with a suitable'lock 22 the locking bolt 23 ot whichis engageable in recess ornotch' provided in the rib 16, which thereby 'forms a keeper tor the bolt 2 5-las is shown in Fig.` 2. The lock 22 may be of any suitable conf struction and maybe iockeda-nd unlocked in f the usual way'by means ,of a key.

It will now be evidentthat access cannot be had tothe interior of the enclosing vcasing lexcept by lirst unlocking the upper `door 11.

lihen the 4upper. door 11 has vbeen unlocked and opened then7 the bolt Aniay be lifted to unlock the` lower door 9 which only `then can be opened. .Y The upper door 11 provides ac-v Y cess to the upper portion of the. enclosingr casing lfor replenishing the magazine iwhilev the lower doory 9,'provides' accessto f the lower vportion ofVV the enclosing*V casingv for removing the accumulated 'coins there-v `from` asl willV hereinafter more Y clearlyV appear. Also when thev twodoorsf'and 1l have been opened, and only then, the

entire mechanism-supportinggframe, togetherwith the mechanism carried thereby, maybe detached and removed,Vv orf, replaced.' In opening the upper doorll it is firstl swung outwardly to substantially the broken :line

position thereof shown in Fig; 2, afterL whichit may be lifted off,4 theupper endvofr the inner door wall l5 having suifi'cientclearance to pass the frontedge portion of the top wall v4 of the casing boX as the door '11 is swung forwardly.

In order to facilitatethe.description"and obtain a clearer understanding of the .pur-K chasedelivering mechanism or vending features of the machine to which the present invention morefparticularly relates, the coincontrolled operating mechanism employed in carryingout the present invention and whichl forms the subject Aoffm'y hereinbefore mentioned copending application, Serial No. 39,442, led June 25, 1925,- willV now be described as briefly as is consistent forV obtaining a clear understandingof the present invention. A proper coin may be inserted intov the machine through a slightly inclined coin slot 24 in the lowerportion of the fronti door` 11 yas shown in Fig. 3. The inserted'coin is received in a coin-holding; slotprovidedin1` the upperA marginal or peripheral portion of` a rocking coin'carrier'25, thecoin being freceivedfin this coin-holding slot at the front i of a coin-moving finger carried by thecoin. carrier to ,engage substantially the center of the coin as shown in Fig; l. The coincar-Y rier 25 hasV avpivot stud 26 journaled inV the front casingwall G and is similarly pivoted l to the wall 7 lof the supporting'frame for the operating mechanism. The rocking. movement ofthe coin carrier"ish-'limitedV by stop;A lugs 27 and28 providedonthesupporting frame to beengaged by a-lug-g29 which proects from the back of thel coin carrier.V

When the coin carrier 25 is rockedy in a clockwise direction as-viewed in Fig. 1,it=will z move the coin carried in'its slotthroughftheVv upper arc ofal circle towards the Aright and toan oppositely inclinedposition for thereby' operating the purchase-delivering mecha-fV nism, after which it will drop from the slotin! the coin carrier upon the rearwardlyinclined floor l30 of a coinchute down which 'it'will' slide throughan opening 3()PL provided in the I frame wall'r' andwill drop into the bottom of the casing,'this coin chute-beingprovidedj onand forming a part of the mechanism-- supporting frame as shown in Fig. 1 andasr Y indicated `by dotted lines in Fig.; 2.

After the coin carrier'25 hasfbeen-rockedfin` l a'--forward direction it is/automatically ref 4 tracted by. means of a kretractile spring 31 feelerlever 32 which `works in a' slot in the front face ofthe coin carrier so that its upper end forms afe'eling'iinger the tip of which' may pass'across the coin-holding slot in the coin carrier when there is no coin therein but. which willv abut against a `com 1n thisslot.

This Yfeeler lever 32 is pivot-ed ,-to they lower part of thezcoin carrier on a pivot pin 33 and" on its rearwardly projecting end there are pivotedia .pairl of reversiblepawls 34 which are urged towards a middle position '-by springs 35 and Awhich When'the colncarrier- 25 is rocked willwipe over andV escape alter y nately from the opposite ends of an arcuate ratchet 36Yprov1'ded on the supporting frame. The coin carrier 25, immediatelyr 1tv starts upon its forward movement, closes or obstructs the coin slot 24 so that a coin 4cannot loe-inserted intoY the machine until the coin carrier has been retracted by its springg31 to'its'- normal coin-receiving position, shown in Fig. l. Then the coincarrier'does notv -aeointhe feeler lever 32is freel toyield so as to permitthe pawls 34 to reverse on the ratchet `36 so that the coin carrier rwillvbe'ref turned to its retractedy posit-ion by its-'spring '3l to uncover the coin slot 30 to receive a y coin, thevfeelertipof the feeler linger ofthe. 1 feeler lever 32 then-.passing `freely across the unoccupied'coiirholding slotin the coin 'care rier. However, whenther'eis a coin in this coin-holding lslot'it obstructsfthe passage ofl the feelertip Yof, the lever 32 so that the pawls .A y 34-are. then 4unable to reverse upon theratchet 36, thereby compelling the coin carrier 25 when it carries a cointo be moved forward to lits full limit of vmovement forv delivering-a the Vpawls 34 then escaping from.

L lill@ purchase, the upper endfofthe ratchet 36'so that spring 3l may then retract the coin carrier. This arrangement .prevents the possibilityV of a coin beingreceived by the machine without the delivery of'aniarticle vwhich. hasl been 1;

paid for.`

Thecom-moving"lingerA carried 'by 'the coin f carrier is effective tovdiscard washers, thiny metal discs which easily bend, and also paper Y discs andthe like, without operating the purchase-delivering mechanism of the machine to deliver an article rwhich has, not been paid for. Magnetizable slugs will be lifted out of i the coinfholdingslotin the coincarrier and discarded by vmeans ofa curved horseshoe magnet37 which is springpressed downward and `whichvis lifted and dropped Witha jolt,

bymeansof-a-cam projection 38 on the coin carrier vwhich successively engages `aY pair of 'smallrollers on the magnet, asshown inFig.-l l, .as-the coin carrier moves forward, thismag-A net'137beingmounted :to have a'zsliglitrocling g rmovement on the supporting frame for the kmechanism.

The coin carrier 25 may be rocked in a forward direction by Vmeans of a handle knob 39 K having its'hub ournaled in a bearing sleeve in a boss 40 formed on the front of the casing wall 6.. The handle knob 89 is fixed upon the outer end of a handle shaft 4l. A pinion 42,

'loosely mounted upon the handle shaft 41 and having a reduced rear extension yournaled in the wall 7, engages with an internal arcuate rack formed on the coin carrier as shown in Fig. l. The handle knob 39 is operatively coupled to the pinion 42 by means of a friction cone clutch, the lcup element 48 of which is carried by the outer end of the pinion 42 and the cone element 44 of which iscoupled to the handle knob 39 as shown in 2.. The cup element 43 is journaled in the sleeve in the boss 40.v The cone clutch element 44 is pressed into frictional driving engagement with the cup clutch element 43 by means of ya coiled compression spring 44a on the inner l 'l moved by the coin carrier in an arcuate path from the left to the riO'ht as viewed-in Fics. l'

' and 3, between the front wall formed by the upper door 1l and the rear wall 7 forming` a part of the mechanism-supporting frame, thi s Ycoin as it thus moves will operate the purchase-delivering .mechanism of the .present invention, and such delivery mechanism will now be described. Y

The supply or stockof pencil leads'45 to be vended, is contained in a magazineshown as a verticallyV arranged or upright hopper Aof rectangular horizontal or transverse crosssection and the opposite walls of which are parallel to one another, the back 'wall' of this magazine hopper being formed byY the acent portion of the rear wall l of the casing box, the vfront wallthereof being formed by the inner-wall 1 5 of. the upper door 11,"and left and right side walls 4b and 4'? therefor are shown as cast in the same piece'with the casing box and project forwardly from the rear wall l thereof nearly to the front magaf.

zine wall 15, but leaving an intervening space for a purpose which will presently appear. The wall 7 of the supporting frame forms a downward continuation of the front wall or door l5 of the magazinefromA a point near the lower end of the latter, as is clearly shown in Fig.. 2. The lower endl of the' right side wall 47 of the magazine hopper is beveled out- `wardlyortowards the right on an arcuate curve andthe lower end of the left side wall 4 4G is provided at its outer or left side with a short arcuate skirt 48 the vinner end of which at the inside of the magazine hopper forms` Van abrupt inwardly inclined shoulder,k as

' zine hopper is closed and an arcuate floor. or

bottom is formed therefor by theupper peripheral portion lof a rotatable delivery cyll inder 49, which fits close up to but not quite in Contact with the lower beveled end of the V right magazine wall 47 andthe lower arcuate,

surface ofthe skirt 48 on the lowerend of the left magazinel wall 46. This delivery cylinder may inexpensively be a die-casting yof zinc.` rlhe delivery cylinder 49 is fiXed upon and may be cast upon a knurled portion of a horizontal drive shaft 50, the rear reduced end of which has a bearing in a boss formed upon the inner side of the rear casing wall .l and which at the forward end of the cylinder v49 is journaled in and projects forwardly beyond a boss formed on the forward side of the frame wall 7. The iloor-forming periphery of the delivery cylinder 49 extends rear wardly from the frame wall 7 but terminates before quite reaching the rear wall l so ras to leave a small intervening space for a purpose l -which will presently appear. The otherwise smooth peripheral surface of the-delivery cylinder 49 has provided therein a circumferen-A tial seriesl of equidistantly spaced longitudinal delivery grooves 5l, Vshown asseight in number, having rounded bottoms and abrupt vsides and of a depth to receive therein one of:

thepencil leads 45 substantially flush with the outer peripheral surface of the delivery cylinder 49 as is shown most clearly'in Fig. 3.

The stock of pencil leads 45 rests upon the magazine bottom formed `by the periphery of the delivery cylinder 49 in horizontal position parallel with its axis; and parallel to one an otherand parallel with the side walls 46 and 47 of the magazine-hopper, with the result that the leads 45 ,will drop one by one successively into the deliveryl grooves 5l, thereby to be delivered from the magazine hopper one by one as the delivery cylinder 49 is rotated to carry them successively beneath and beyond the lower end of the skirt 4S, which forms a guard for retaining the leads in the grooves 5l until they reach the delivery point. For each one-eighth rotation of the delivery cyl* inder 49 one ofthe pencil leads 45 will be delivered. j 1 *Y Because of their brittleness and the consequent danger of breaking the pencil leads 45, these leads are not permitted to drop by gravity from the bottom or lower side of the de-r livery cylinder 49, but means are provided for removing them gently laterally from the side of the delivery cylinder. .A horizontally aligned series of upwardly inclined stripping fingers 52 at vthe leftl sidel of the delivery Cyllinder 49'v project inwardly beyond the outer peripherall surface of the delivery cylinder and beyond the vbottonisof the lead carrying deliveryf grooves 51 so as thereby gently to remove the leads from the groovesr 5llbyr gradually easingthem-`out of these grooves as this'side of lthe delivery cylinder moves forward and downward, andat a pointsubstantially onv a f level with, and shown asbeginninga little above, the Aaxis of the delivery cylinder.

These. stationary stripping iingers 52 arey shown asthree in number, the forward and middle. ones of which are accommodated in .circumferential grooves 53 in the periphery of the 'delivery cylinder49 'and'of suitably greater depth than the longitudinal deliveryV groovesl therein.,` andthe third or rearmost stripping finger 52 isdisposed adjacent the remote or rear end of the delivery 'cylinder in a circumferential notch there provided in itsperiphery. rlhe outer surfaces of the stripping-fingers 52 a-t their upper ends extend substantially in the same direction as the 'pat-h of movement of a lead 45 at this point, or substantially tangential to the deli-very cylinder,

' and are slightly curved concavely down -ward-ly and outwardly, for thereby more graduallyy and gently removing the leads 45 from the delivery grooves 5l'.

The stripping fingers 52 are carried by and are shown as formedin one piccewith a block 54 which, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4, may be secured byV means of screws to a slight lug 55v d formed upon the adjacent side of the frame wall 7 Thisblock 5 4may be azinc die-casting.

The uppersurfaces of thebloch 54 and thelug 55 are in alignment and inclined gently Outward towards the casing side wall 2. A

gently downwardly inclined chute floor 56 forms a continuation of the inclined upper surfaces of the block 54 and lug 55between the rear casing wall 1 and the frameV wall'. y

This chute floor 56 leads to the outside l0f the casing through a narrow horizontal slot 57 -in-thel casing wall 2y and terminates at the outside of the casingin a reception trough 58 which, as shown Figs. l, 8 and 4, is closed at the rear but is open at the front ras well as at the top. A pencil lead 45 will roll safelyy from the stripping nngerfs 52 down the gentle inlpayment for such lead. A rotatablecoinyoperated drive member shown as a peripherally toothed drive wheel 59 is fixed upon the outer'squared end of the drive shaft 50 about midway in the space between the front casing i wall provided by the upper door 11 and the interior Wall 7 provided'bythe supporting frame 'and may beheld inplace on the drive shaft 5.0 means of'a'inut asshowninFigs.

ll and2. This drive wheel 59haseightteeth 59a which "formsa circumferential series ofy of a moving Coiny in-position tobe 'engaged thereby and moved a. step equalto thefdistance between the teeth as the ycoin is moved viewed in Figs. l and 3. .2

'At the completion'orai`one eighth step of` equidistantly spacedabutments someone fof l Vwhich at'the' lower edge ofthe wheel is noin` mally inthe 'path' of the upper edge portion `by the coin carrier 25 from left tok right.L as v rotative movement of the drive wheel 59 the d coin carrier, 25 will vhave nearly reached its forward limit of movement as determinedl by its lug 29` coming into engagement withthe upper stop lug A27,.and upon lthe release of the handle knob 39jy 'and the' initiation of thev rei turn movement of kthe coin` carrier Aby its ,spring 8l, the coin will drop. from the coin kcarrier upon the` coin chuteBO and thence 'to the casing bottom 5; Theone-eighthstep'of rotative movement imparted` to the drive wheel 59 will of course impart a'corre'sponding one-eighth step ofrotativemovement to the delivery cylinder'49, thereby to `*deliver a purchased pencil lead 45 as above described.

The teeth 59a of the drivev wheel 50 have abrupt front faces, which lare/shown as radial,

to be engaged by the moving coin, while the 4 rear faces of these teeth are inclined so; thatV the teeth havey a tapering. form asxshown in Figl.- i j- A coin. controlledlocling device is pro- Avided for positively stopping the rotation` of the deliverycylinder 49 atthe completion .off each delivery movement thereof and for positively locking this Y delivery"cylinder-f against displacement in either direction away l, l

from its normal'position shown in This locking devicejis constructed to benor-v mally automatically` effective and to be; released by the moving coi-n preparatoryto the delivery vmovement of the deliveryV cylinder 49;'j In the construction shown lin the ldrawings lan L-shaped locking pawl 60 is pivoted at its angleforbend, vbymeans of a pivot pin 6l, 'ontheflower portion of the 'innerjend 'of a lug 62 shown ascast upon and projecting rearwardly from thefframe wall?. rllhis lug 62 is slottedjalong its lower and .rear faces to receive the lockingipawl iio 60 las shown in Fig, 5. The locking pawl 60 `has I ani upwardly extending locking varm which'is radial. to the delivery' cylinder 49 'A anvd'has a horizontal' tail arm. The tail arm 5 of the locking pawl'GO ispressed downwardly vby acoiled thrust vspring which is seated in,l arecess in the'lower sideof the lug 62y and urges the upper y end of the locking farm of the pawl G0 towardsthe adjacent rear end of the deliverycylinder 49 as shown in Fig. 5.

lve-

.l n The free upper end offtlie'locking arm of the locking pawl 60V overlaps upon the rear end of the delivery cylinder 49 where the latter is cut away at its peripheral portion as hereinbefore mentioned, and this peripheral portion of the deliverycylinder has provided therein la circumferential Vseries of equidistantly spaced abrupt-faced notches 64 for the reception therein of the upper end of the locking arm of the pawl 60as shown in Figs. 3 and 5, these notches 64 being both of greater radial depth and of greater circumferential width than the longitudinal deliveryl grooves 5l inthe delivery cylinder 49 so thatthese one of the notches 63 to stop and positivelyl grooves will not interfere with the operation of the vlocking pawl 60, the locking end of-v Which Cannot enter these groovesA During the deliveryr movement of the delivery cylinder49 the locking end of the pawl 60 rides upon the smooth end surface of the delivery cylinder 49 between the notches 64 and at the completion of a step of Vdelivery movement, this locking end'of the pawl 60 engages in pawl-releasing squared push-rod 65 is guided in the lug 62 and has a reduced rounded inner end, assliown in Fig. 5, in engagement with Y the front face'of the locking arm of the pawl v 60 about midway of the length of said arm,

andy at its forward end the push-rod or bar 65 is provided with van inclined cam surface which projects at the front side of the wall 7 in position to be engaged by the rear edge of Va moving coin as the latter is moved bv the coin carrier 25 as above described.

. The cam end of the pawl-'releasing rod 65 projects from the wall 7 immediately forwardly from the coin-holding notch or slot yin the coin carrier 25 and the coin slot 24 in the casing, as shown in Figs. l and 3, and v with the cut away portion onv the adjacent this inclined cam end of the pawl-releasing push-rod 65 is sol located relatively to the vdrive wheel tooth 59CL which is next to be engaged by the coin that while the moving 1 coin is still in engagement with the outer end of this rod to hold theV locking pawl 60 in disengaged or unlocked position, the coinwill come into engagement with the tooth 59cl of the drive wheel 59 and start the latter to rotate together with the delivery cylinder 49.

y65, whereuponthis pawl-releasing rod will begmoved outward by a return spring 66 provided therefor, andthe locking end ofthe locking pawl 60, by reason of its spring 63,

' will ride upon the smooth end surface of the end engages in a notch provided Vthe pawl-releasing rod `65. Y

As hereinbefore noted,because of the small Y size and brittleness of the pencilleads 45 these vleads should be vhandled with consid-r delivery cylinder 49 between adjacent notches 64 therein in readiness to snap into the next notch 64`for-thereby again locking the delivery cylinder 49 together witli' the Ydrive `wheel 59 at the completion of the delivery movement of the delivery cylinder 49.. rhis locking of the delivery cylinder 49 of course will stop any vfurther forward movement vof the coin carrier 25, when it carries a coin.

ofra screw (not shown) to the inner end'portion of the lug 62 and which at its upper erable care to'avoid breaking them while effecting their delivery from the magazine hopper into the reception trough 58.` It istherefore desirable that the delivery cylinder 49 should have'a substantially uniform rate of movement which should not` be toorapid and which should not be permitted to become substantially accelerated, because of the fact if such rapid movement and acceleration of movement were permitted then the pencil lead 45 which is ybeing delivered could not be so gently eased outof the. delivery groove v5l by the stripping lingers 452, and if ther enthereforV in i gagenient of the lead by these fingers were y too sudden and abrupt possibly7 the leadmight be broken.` In order to assure such a substantially uniform and substantially unaccelerated delivery movement of the delivery `cylinder 49, a braking device is provided therefor.

In the construction shown inthe drawings,

a stationary annular brake disc 67 is'V interposedbetween the rear casing wall l and the adjacent or remote end of thedelivery cylinder 49 to befrictionally engaged-by the latter, and this brake disc may lit with suiiicient tightness vover the bearing boss onthe wall 1 to hold the disc stationary.' The outer peripheral edge of the brake disc 67 is flush end of the delivery cylinder `49,1thereby toa free space for the movement of the locking pawl 66 to its disengaged position. A recess is provided in the adjacentor remote end of the kdelivery cylinder 49 for freely receiving the bearing boss provided on the ywall l for the drive vshaft 50,'and it is to be vnoted that clearancespaces are 'provided between the delivery cylinder 49 and theend of the bear- 'ico iie

ing boss on the wall 1,' between the end'of I the drive shaft 50 and the wall l, and between the drive wheel 59 and the bearing boss on the wall 7, so that thereby the delivery cylinder 49 may have free frictional braking engagement with the stationary brake disc 67.

cui

The forward vrend of the deliverycylinder- 49 has a. rather large and deep-recess provided therein surrounding the.. drive` shaft `50v and the delivery cylinder49i M 'urged rearwardly intoI frictional engagement with the disc 67 by means of a strong coiledl thrust spring- GS which surrounds the drive lshaft 59. 'and f acts between'the bottom of the recessin thev delivery cylinder 49 and a washer 69`which interposed between the forward end of the spring 68 and lthe frame wall. 7. rlhis braking device has a sul'licient retarding elfectupon the ldelivery cylinder 49 and drive wheel 59 to absorb their i'nomentum and prevent the accumulation of the latter, and also to assure a substantially vsteady and luniform .movevment of the delivery cylinder49 when the handle lnob. 89 is turned to effectthe delivery of a pencil lead v45. Also this braking device has a further advantage in that it guards against the possible breakage of partsv of the mechanism by reason of their toosudden movement. and quick stoppage. y

lllhile the pencil'leads 45 may move freely downward by gravity in the magazine vhopper Vby reason of their own weight, this movement is assisted by the weight of a substantially' rectangular' follower block 0 which 'rests upon the stock ofl pencil leads 45 and presse them into closer relation with the magazine floor formed by the periphery of the delivery cylinder 49. Y Also thisffollow'er block 70 assists the parallel side walls of thevmagazine hopper, particularly the side walls 46 and 47, in maintaining the pencil leads 45 in parallelism so that these leads may be in correct position for readily entering the delivery 'grooves lin thedelivery cylinder .49. rThe follower block 70 is'freely guided `between the four oppositely parallel vertical walls l, l5, 46 and 47 of the magazine hoppen-1.

YAdjacent the top of its forward end thez follower block 70 is provided on each side thereof'with a pair of lugs which progect between the forward edges of the magazine.4

walls 46 and 47 ,and the front magazine wall l anda Vtransverse groove is'providedV in the forward end ofthe. follower block between these lugs,l as shown in Figs. 2, Sand 4; The forward edges of the magazine side walls 46 and 47 are provided with downwardly inclined ratchet teeth 71'to be engaged b a D C3 y manually releasable catch 72 which may be, as is shownin the dra vings, a suitable' leaf yspring located in the transverse groovein the. follower block 70 and secured at its middle-by means. of a rivet or. screw to the follower kdling the machine with the result of disarranging the` pencilleads 45' contained in the Y.

magazine hopper.

In carry'iig out the invention, the' pur' chase-delivering mechanism includes autoy natically acting means controlled by the sup-y ply of articles, 'suchas the pencil leads-45, in

the magazine'hopperto. prevent the loss.'y of coins in. the machine vwhen the magazine'hopier re uires reialenishine.' iccordinr to this l cu t:

invention the follower block 7 0 is effective to lock' the delivery cylinder 49.a.t'a position in which the latter is in control of means which prevent theloss of a com in the machineV when the delivery cylinder 49 is thus locked f. 803- the dra-wines as an`r embodiment ofthe 111-" bv the follower .70. ln the machine shown in "vention, the delivery cylinder "49 when thus vlocked by the follower 70 causes the coin carlK4 iier to be locked in a position in whichit obstructs the coin slot 24 against the inscri tion of'a coin. lioweveigin carrying out the iiivei'ition` means other than thec'oin carrier l l25'coiild be employe-d'-funder the'control of the purchase-delivering rmechanism for preventing the loss "of a coin infthe'machine whenv the magazine hopper'needs replenish4 in the particular machineillustrated in the orawirc's as an embodiment of the in-V vention, a lug having a .rounded face andabrupt sides is provided on thelower side ofthe follower'7 O1 in a positionfsomewhat to the right side of; the delivery. groove 5l in the delivery cylinder 49 which is uppermost' Ain any one of the final delivery positions ofthe delivery cylinder 49, as shown in Figs'. 2'aii'd 3. .Y

llfhen thesupply of pencil leads iirth magazine hopper becomes exhausted ornearly so the descendingfollower 7 O will cause its rib73 to engage infan Aempty delivery groove` 5l whenf'the latter is brought into alignment with the rib 7 3 in the-delivery movement of ythe delivery cylinder .before it" has quite reacheditsfinal delivery position, thereby to lock the` delivery cylinder 49# against any further forwardmovement aswell as to lock it against .the'possibility of backward move-V .mentl/Vhen the delivery cylinder 49 is thus` locked by the locking rib73 on the follower v 7 0 it has not rotatedffar enough to lenable it lto be locked vbythe locking pawl 60,which,

as hereinbefoie described, `only becomesy effective at a niial. delivery position of the delivery cylinder v49. However, when the delivery cylinder 49 is thus locked'by the lock- .ing rib 7 3 before it has quite. completed its delivery movement ithas rotated far, enough to effect the delivery of a pencil. -lea'd"45,'

which has been paid for byI an inserted coin, and which is the last llead that can be deliv- -own as a longitudinal; rib 7 3 all() ered andl the last coin that can be iiiserted'- 1 until themagazine hopper has beenl replen-` v lished. The'deli'very cylinder 49 will rotate l .far enough for this last lead :to be eased, by the stripping fingers 52, out of the groove A5lv tion 'trough 58.'

inI which'it is contained and from which consequently it will roll `down into the recep- Vhen the'delivery cylinder 49 is thus Y locked by thel follower rib 7 3 the toothed drive wheel 59 is of course alsoflocked before it has completed the fullv step of rotative `movement then being imparted to lit by the complete forward movement andis stopped in positionv in which the pawls 34 are still in engagement with the teeth of the ratchet '36Y and are prevented fromieversing thereon by reason ofthe fact that thel coin in the coinliolding slot of the coin carrier obstructs this slot against the pawl-releasing'movement of the feeler lever 32, `s o that then the coin carrier 25 is locked by the coin against further forward movement andis locked by the pawls 84 against retraction by its spring 3l, and

in this locked position of the coin carrier 25' it covers and obstructs the coin slot 24 to prevent the insertion of a coin into the machine.l i

' The operation of the machine has already hereinbefore been so fully described along i with the description of its construction that itis believed little or nothing need be added las to its operation. Inconclusion, however, it may be noted that the opposite parallel vertical side walls of the magazine hopper, assisted by the follower 70, maintain the pencil leads in horizontal parallelism to one another resting upon the varcuate magazine floor provided .by thev Aupper peripheral portion of the delivery cylinder 49 so that one ofthe lowermost of these leads maybe readily4 picked up by one of the relivery grooves 51, and that this pencil lead will be gently` and safely delivered to the purchaser, by reason of the relatively slow uniform movement of the delivery cylinder49, due to lthe reduction gear through `which it is driven and the moi'nentum-absorbing brake thereon, and` the gradual easing out and removal of f the pencil lead 45 from the delivery groove 51 by the stripping iingersli.VV

It is obvious that Various'modifications may be made in the construction shown in thevdrawings and above particularly described, within the principle and scope of the ofl a magazine hopper adapted to contain in horizontal parallel relation a supply of sleny.

" der brittle cylindrical articles to be vended,

a horizontally liournaled deilvery cylinder provided longitudinaly thereof with a cira stationary'arcuate guard extending from the hopper over `the upper portion of the forward side of theperiphery of the cylinder'andsuiiiciently short toprovidey fer thev removal of said articles from therdelivery grooves at a level above the axis of the cylinder, a series of circumferential spaces' provided along the length `or the periphery. of`

the cylinder of greater depth than the delivery grooves, a series of stationary inclined stripping vfingers vprojecting inwardly and upwardly into said spaces with their outer surfaces at their upper ends substantially. tangential to the cylinder abo-ve the level of its axis and inwardly from the bottoms of its delivery grooves for thereby ygently grady ually easing said articles out Aof and removing them from the delivery kgroovesjust be#Y low the lower end of said guard, a gentle incline down which said articles may safely roll from the stripping fingers for delivery,

and operating mechanism for imparting positively determined steps of rotative delivery f movement ata substantially uniform rate tok the deliveryk cylinder.

2.. The invention defined in claim l, in coinbinat-ion with a friction brake having smooth uninterrupted continuously engagedl cooperating friction surfacesfor uniformly limiting the speed of the delivery cylinder duringk Yits steps of delivery movement'.l

3. The invention defined in claim 1,in combination with a rotatablel drive shaft upon which the delivery Acylinder is fixed, a recess being provided in each end of the cylinder surrounding the drive shaft, a bearingfor the drive shaft at one end of the cylinder projecting loosely into the recess at that end, a smoothfsurfaced stationary annular friction brake surrounding the bearing` for Cooperation with the'adjac'ent end of the cylinder, which end has a smooth annular surface, a bearing for the drive Vshaft at the opposite end of the cylinder, and a coiled thrust spring surrounding the drive shaft in the recess at this end and acting between the latter bearing and the bottom of the recess to press the cylinder at its other end into frictional brain ing engagementl with said brake for thereby4 uniformly limiting the vspeed of the delivery cylinder during its steps of delivery move ment. t l l 4. In a vending machine, the combination of a magazine hopper adapted to contain in horizontal parallel relationla supply of slender cylindrical articles 'to be vended, a horizontally journaled delivery cylinder provided longitudinally thereof with a circmferential series of equidistant-ly spaceddelivery grooves 70 steps of rotative ymovement of the cylinder,l i y in its periphery the upper portion of which forms a bottom for the magazine hopper adapted to remove said articles from the hopper one by one upon successive steps of rotative movement of the cylinder7 a stationary arcuate guard extending from the hopper downward around a portion of the forward side of the periphery of the cylinder and terminating at a level a substantial distance above the level of the lower side of the periphery of the cylinder for retaining said articles in the delivery grooves until t-he 'latter pass below the lower end of such guard, delivery means for removing said articles from the delivery grooves immediately below the lower end of said guard including a downward inoline extending away from the periphery of the cylinder from a level substantially above the level of the lower side of the periphery of the cylinder, and operating mechanism adapted to impart uniformly accurately determined steps of rotative delivery movement to the delivery cylinder.

5. In a vending machine, the combination of a magazine hopper adapted to contain in horizontal parallel relation a supply of slender frail substantially cylindrical articles to be vended, a horizontally journaled delivery cylinder provided longitudinally thereof with a circumferential series of equidistantly spaced delivery grooves in its periphery the upper portion of which forms a bottom for the magazine hopper adapted to remove said articles from the hopper one by one upon successive steps of rotative movement of the cylinder, a guard over the upper portion of the forward side of the periphery of the cylinder completely at a level above the axis of the cylinder, a series of circumferential spaces being provided along the length of the periphery of the cylinder of greater depth than the delivery grooves, a series of stationary inclined stripping lingers projecting inwardly and upwardly into said spaces with their outer surfaces at their upper ends substantially tangential to the cylinder above the level of its axis and inwardly from the bottoms of its delivery grooves for thereby gently gradually easing said articles out of and removing them from the delivery grooves just below the said guard, a gentle incline down which said articles may safely, roll from the stripping xfingers for delivery, and operating mechaknism for imparting uniformly accurately determined steps of rotative delivery movement to the delivery cylinder.

ln witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my signature.

LOUIS' H. MORIN. 

